Police are continuing to investigate what led up to the exchange of gunfire that left James Pullum and Robert Taylor dead Wednesday night at a Steele Street car wash.

Pullum, 43, and Taylor, 56, both of Ionia, apparently were involved in an unknown confrontation as they drove their vehicles prior to the shooting, possibly on M-66 before they turned onto Steele Street. Pullum, who was driving with two passengers in a Ford Taurus, was being tailgated by Taylor in a Chrysler PT Cruiser as the two proceeded on Steele Street, said Ionia Department of Public Safety Detective Sgt. Cory McDiarmid.

Both men pulled into the driveway of the Wonder Wand Car Wash at 426 S. Steele St., where they drew pistols and exchanged shots. When officers responded to a report of shots fired at the car wash, they found Pullum and Taylor injured with gunshot wounds. They were transported to Sparrow Ionia Hospital by Life EMS, where both men were pronounced dead.

Both Pullum and Taylor had valid licenses to carry concealed weapons, said IDPS Director Troy Thomas. Neither of Pullum’s passengers was injured in the shooting.

Police continue to interview witnesses to try to determine who fired the first shot and what initiated the incident, which is still under investigation by the IDPS, assisted by the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police.